Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-12-23
The Law Has Worked Unpeak-
able Good in Atlanta, There
fore Continue It.
With the Saloons Removed the I'm.
provident Have Become
Provident.
The Eloquent Testimony OF Former
Enemies OF Pr0hi-
bitiOn.
The Great Increase of Poll Taxes and
Proportionate Decrease of
Crime.

Consultation, made thrilling address at
recent Prohibition meeting in Atlanta.
He said he was not originally Prohibi-
zionist, but High License man, and that
he did not wish to discuss the general
principle of Prohibition, or, indeed, to
commit himself to it. He had consented
10 speak about Prohibition only as pres
ent matter affecting Atlanta's welfare. He
based his appeal for another two years
trial of Prohibition upon two propositions
First, Prohibition has not had a full and
has been, is a demonstrate success. He
said:
in insisting that Prohibition has not had II
fair trial. do not mean to beg the second prop
osition | laid down. namely, that it has been
demonstrable success. Is There man here
tonight who has not the fairness and the UNI
prejudiced mind that will lead him to give an
important question afull trials there q man
be shown that working even imperfectly it has
worked unspcakable good?
commit myself to that word with perfect
fearlessness. I say "unspeakable" good II
talk until my tongue loses its power of articu-
lation, could not give YOU one half of the in
stances of good that have been pnt in my hands
by kind friends this evening. / will hastily
class a few, none OF which will fail to prove
significant.
When you 20 to get the effect OF a new move
lnent for good or evil, where do YOU go? Not 70
the rich and idle, because you may swell or
diminish their income and yet not change their
habits; you simply diminish the hidden sur
plus. Not TO the middle class. because when
You diminish their income they simply pinch
themselves, and pinch SO quietly that their
nelghbOrS do not know it. or swell their incomes
and they loosen out 1. little and pass something
up to surplus You cannot tell it there; but go
70 the poorer classes-the men who labor for
their daily breai, and whose wages barely
suffice to give it to them; and there you find
the first signs OF COOL or evil movement. 1t
is at once the truth and reproa2h of our civil
ization, that starvation follows close on labor
that an evil movement is detected in tho hollow
cheeks OF little children and the hnggard faces
OF women before it is made manifest to the
higher classes,
Mr.. George Alair rents houses to 1900 ten.
rnts. He states that he has issued in the last
year ono distress warrant where no issued
twenty two years ago. Appuuse. / claim to
be an Intelligent man with some courage of
fact were established to my satisfaction, would
vote for this thing ii never heard another word
on this subject. Have you thought what that
means-a distress warrant? 1t means eviction;
it means the very thing that is to-day kindling
the heart OF this world for poor Ireland. It
means turning woman and her little children
they are entitled ] WAS astonshed at Col.
Adairs statement Mr.. Tally, who rents 600 or
800 houses, says: Il used to issue two or three
distress warrauts--four or tive-;. month
have not issued one in eighteen months" ZAP
plause.l Now, both of them are Prohibitionists
Let me try YOU with Horny Krouse. He was an
warrants averaged thirtysix to the year, and
have not issuel one in twelve months" said
Then, my friend, don't carry your con-
tionist?"
amt. My knowledge of the thing, day by
day, among people used to poster and evict
hos changed my convictions, and am q red
hot Prohibitionist."
went down to Mr.. Scott, who did not vote
for prohibition, aud asked him. He said Il
n In. hNS iaane ciy in
the last eighteen months and five were to get
people out OF houses because they were OBJ
single distress warrant for failure to pay rent. !"
said, You didn't vote for prohibition
He said, Il did not believe it was practi-
CABLE"
asked, What o.you think now?"
He said. Il am going to work and vote for
prohibition" !Appleuse.l
square man and an intelligent man, and is run
min. for Council, which is good sign Laugh
ter and applause.l He says: MY testimony is
warrants every lnoDth, ana l have not issued
one in twelve months. ="
Gentlemen-and ladies laughter. especially
ladies': Is there any possible answer to thatp
Is there any industrial, any social any eco
nolnic revolution that has been worked since
this world began TINT would account for the
diminution in this most vicious and intolerable
Of legal enactments? Have you thought about
what distress warrant is?
Have you ever thought about u woman being
turned out OF her house-the little cottage that
covers her and her children? Can you picture
-you who live in comfortable homes filled with
light and warmth and books and joy-can YOU
think of these people-human beings, our
brothers and sisters-the poor mother, brave
though her heart is breaking. budding her lit
tie children about her-and the father, weak
but loving. and loving all the deeper because
he knows his weakness has brought them to
this want and degradatlon--and little children
those OF whom our Savior said: suffer them
to come unto me and forbid them not, there
vtorc %>,, s.,I.%
can you picture that ana then their taking
themselves up and the woman putting her hand
with undying love and faith in the hand of the
man she swore to follow through good and evil
report, and marching up and down tho streets
this pitiable procession-throught tho unthink-
ing streets, by laughing children and shining
windows. looking for hole where like the
foxes. they may hide their poor heads?
My friends. they talk to You about personal
liberty, that man should have the right to so
into q erog- shop and see this pitiable process
sion-now stopped-parading up and down our
streets again. They talk to you about the
shades OF Washington, Monroe and Jefferson
nplifted from that degradation-happy again in
her home, with the cricket chrpng on her
henrthstone :and her children about her knee,
her husband redeemed from drink at her side
would not give one Of them for all the shades
of all the men that ever contended since Cata-
lire conspired and Cesar fought!
AT the end of this sentence there was ire
nendous cheering. Men and women waved
their hahdkerchiefs some of them standing
mp.
All of it means simply this. that where Mr.
Adair. renting to all sorts of people, issued 20
distress warrants "a year ago, he issues now
it means that out of every 20 families evicted
two years ago there are 10 happy families in
their homes tonight. Applause. Ana yet we
nre told we must vote to restore the old order
because it has reduced Governor Browns
rental column 5000 year! IApplause.j
AT the end Of this sentence the scene WAS
almost indescribHbe. Thousands of handker-
chiefs waved as before, men held up their hats
on walking sticks and whrled them in the air
Tho cheering was almost deafening.
My friends, don't believe that statement. to
begin with. I do not believe his rent income
is fairly and permanently diminished 5000 a
year; and if it is. he is my friend. and con-
graduate both him and myself on the fact tn at
he is aole to stand it I say this in NO spirit OF
sarcas1I criticisnl. but do say, if there is a
law. if there is governmental theory. if there
IL. may il please you. RI untried experiment
that will shelter one honest woman &nd two
children in their homes, it is our
duty to vote that law and thH Governments
duty to enfoa1:e it. though i. should cut it down
no 900. ,Tresuendons applause. And the
reason for that Is not based in communism. but
in humanity. II the Government owes any
.uty to the individual, it is that every man,
gnd child ti:al leads an honest life is
entitled IN food ltI,N shelter. ard it tlare a